Summer Travel and Your Hearing Health: What You Need to Know

The warmer summer months are finally here! It is time to enjoy some time in the sun; for many, it’s time to take a much-needed vacation. In addition to ensuring you have a great time, it’s vital for you and your loved ones to feel healthy during the trip. One component of your health that you should focus on while on vacation is your hearing. Understandably, this is easier said than done. But, no need to worry! Whether you have some degree of hearing loss or not, here are some tips you should know to ensure you protect your hearing health while you enjoy your summer vacation.

Be Mindful When Swimming

What’s a summer vacation without having fun in the sun and some water? Although swimming is great for your body, it can negatively affect your hearing health. When your ears are exposed to water, moisture builds in the ear. The moisture in the ear canal can lead to bacterial growth, which in turn causes infections such as swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear, or otitis externa, is an infection that affects the outer ear canal. Other issues, such as mild hearing loss, may even occur as the moisture can cause earwax to swell.

Fortunately, there are preventative measures you can take to avoid these issues. For instance, you can use a towel to clean both ears to ensure it is dry and to avoid any moisture. If you feel a sensation of water in your ear, consider tilting your head to drain out the water. However, the most effective method is to use earplugs or a swimming cap to protect your ears from water when you’re swimming.

Be Prepared for Noisy Social Activities

Summer vacations are filled with noisy social activities, from music festivals to concerts, parties, and fireworks displays. Therefore, it’s vital to ensure that you do not enjoy these activities at the expense of your hearing health. Even if you’re experiencing hearing loss, taking the necessary protective measures is vital to avoid worsening it. Although avoiding such events is the better option, use protective hearing solutions such as earplugs.

Don’t worry, these won’t drown out the sounds, but it would make them safer to hear. You should also avoid standing too close to the stage or speakers as this could injure you and negatively impact your hearing health.

Understand the Noise Risk Associated with Your Means of Travel

High sound levels are a common cause of hearing loss in several Americans nationwide. When traveling, your mode of transport exposes your auditory system to a lot of noise. If you’re traveling by air, you will expose your ears to cabin noise that can reach up to 85-105 decibels (dBs)! If you’re going by road, the excessive background noise from wind, moving traffic, and speeding cars can expose your ears to about 89dBs.

High-speed trains and train horns also produce excessive and harmful noise, measuring between 95-100dBs. Knowing and understanding the noise risk of your mode of travel ensures that you prepare adequately for it. For instance, you can use earplugs during your air travel or noise-canceling headphones to protect your ears from harsh noises.

See Your Audiologist Before You Set Off

An audiologist is a professional who is knowledgeable on the auditory system and experienced in preventing, diagnosing, and treating hearing loss. Before you embark on your summer travel, it is advisable to consult your audiologist beforehand. There are several advantages to taking this step. First, you can accurately assess your hearing health before you set off. This way, you can get the solutions you need before the trip to prevent fear and other issues during the trip.

For example, if your audiologist detects that you may be experiencing hearing loss, they can provide suitable options, such as hearing aids, before travel. Another benefit of seeing an audiologist before embarking on your summer travel is gaining expert advice on the dos and don’ts of hearing health when you travel to ensure your safety.

Contact Two Rivers Hearing Today

Speaking of audiologists, it is vital that you consult one you can trust, an expert in the field, and be qualified to ensure you receive the best service and solutions to your problems. Fortunately, these are very qualities audiologists and professionals at Two Rivers Hearing possess. If you’re looking for audiologists you can trust, look no further than us! Book an appointment today to learn more about Two Rivers Hearing and how we can help you! Call us at (321) 499-2488 today.